Joan Baez Early, Pre-Vanguard Recordings

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There were two recordings that were made before the initial 1960 Vanguard release, Joan Baez [Volume 1]. One was made in 1958 in San Francisco and the second was made in 1959 in Cambridge, MA. Both have re-surfaced many times. These are listed in order of recording rather than release to try and provide a better picture of the growth of an artist. The "F" numbers following the title are (minus the "F") the catalog numbers given by Charles J. Fuss in Joan Baez: A Bio-Bibliography.

Joan Baez in San Francisco - FD-07 - 1964 (recorded 1958 Jun) - Fantasy 5015 (mono LP), 85015 (electronically reprocessed for Stereo LP)

Although recorded in 1958, it was not released until 1964. A restraining order was obtained to stop sale of the record as at that point it was felt that it did not properly represent Joan Baez as an artist. Probably the best cut from this collection, Scarlet Ribbons, appears on the 1993 3-CD Box Set Rare, Live, and Classic.

A Package of Joan Baez - FD-50 - 1978 - Bear Family Records BF 15012 (LP)

This was a German re-release of Joan Baez in San Francisco. Although La Bamba does not appear on the cut list on the jacket, it is on the disk. This appears easier to find and often much less expensive than Joan Baez in San Francisco and at least my copy is a good-quality German pressing.

• Island In The Sun - 2:25 (Belafonte-Burgie)
• Water Boy - 2:49 (Trad.)
• Annie Had A Baby - 1:20 (Glover-Mann)
• Oh Freedom - 4:15 (Trad.)
• Man Smart, Woman Smarter - 3:10 (Trad. Associated with Harry Belafonte)
• Scarlet Ribbons - 2:48 (Danzig-Segal Associated with Harry Belafonte)
• Dark As A Dungeon - 2:20 (Travis)
• Told My Captain - 2:49 (Trad.) (Bear Family version calls this Told The Captain on the jacket, it is correct on the disk label.)
• Young Blood - 2:00 (Lieber-Stoller-Pomus)
• I Gave My Love A Cherry - 3:17 (Trad.)
• La Bamba - 1:00 (Trad.) (Not listed on Bear Family version's jacket, but it is on the disk and label and front cover.)
• Every Night - 2:07 (Trad)

Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square - FD-01 - 1959 (Recorded 1959 May) - Veritas 62202 (mono LP)

Produced by Lemuel Marshall Wells; Recorded by Stephen Fassett; Album notes by Manuel Greenhill

There seems to be some confusion concerning this album. The matrix numbers are 62202 for Side A and 62203 for Side B. It isa single LP with two sides. The original contains 18 cuts, the Squire and Emus reissues contain 14 cuts, and the Eros European reissue only contains ten cuts.

• On the Banks of the Ohio - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]
• O What A Beautiful City - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez]
• Sail Away Ladies - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]
• Black is the Color - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]
• Lowlands - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]
• What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez]
• Kitty - (Trad. South African) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]
• So Soon in the Morning - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]
• Careless Love - (Trad. ) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]
• Le Cheval Dans La Beignoire (The French Horse in the Bathtub) - (Goldman, Stephan) [Bill Wood]
• John Henry - (Trad.) [Bill Wood]
• Travelin' Shoes - (Trad.) [Bill Wood]
• The Bold Soldier - (Trad.) [Bill Wood]
• Walie Walie - (Trad. Appalachian) [Ted Alevizos]
• Rejected Lover - (Trad.) [Ted Alevizos]
• Astrapsen (The Sun is Risen) - (Trad. Greek) [Ted Alevizos]
• Lass From the Low Country - (Trad. North Carolina) [Ted Alevizos]
• Don't Weep After Me - (Trad. West Indian) [Joan Baez, Bill Wood, and Ted Alevizos]

The Best of Joan Baez Original First Recording [of] America's Most Exciting Folk Singer - FD-05 - 1963 - Squire SQ-33001 (mono LP), S/SQ-33001 (stereo LP), Emus ES 12001 (stereo LP re-release) [Reissue of Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square]

This was also released in Europe with only the ten Joan Baez cuts as Eros 8075 (*); the order of the selections on this version is unknown.

Note that the order is also changed from the original.

• On the Banks of the Ohio - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]*
• O What A Beautiful City - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez]*
• So Soon in the Morning - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]*
• Lowlands - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]*
• Kitty - (Trad. South African) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]*
• Travelin' Shoes - (Trad.) [Bill Wood]
• Astrapsen (The Sun is Risen) - (Trad. Greek) [Ted Alevizos]
• Black is the Color - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]*
• What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby - (Trad. Spiritual) [Joan Baez]*
• Don't Weep After Me - (Trad. West Indian) [Joan Baez, Bill Wood, and Ted Alevizos]*
• Sail Away Ladies - (Trad.) [Joan Baez]*
• Careless Love - (Trad. ) [Joan Baez and Bill Wood]*
• John Henry - (Trad.) [Bill Wood]
• Walie Walie - (Trad. Appalachian) [Ted Alevizos]

Omitted from this reissue: Le Cheval Dans La Beignoire, The Bold Soldier, Rejected Lover, and Lass From the Low Country

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©1997 Richard L. Hess All Rights Reserved